Jungian Therapy

Jungian psychotherapy or Jungian analysis is a form of therapy from Carl G Jung. Jung was at one time the protégé of Freud, however they parted company after a series of differences in their theories.

Freud theorised that the unconscious mind was personal to that specific individual, whilst Jung went further and suggested that there was more than one layer to our unconscious. Jung believed that the bigger part of that unconscious mind what is now known as the ‘collective unconscious’ he believed this contains patterns which are also known as archetypes, which we all share together with mankind.

In Jungian therapy, these archetypes can explain why we have ways that we cannot seem to change, whether that be mental health issues or patterns of behaviour which are destructive in our lives. Jung’s theory considers these ‘archetypes’ so that you can understand yourself better.

Jungian counselling is the psychotherapeutic approach of Analytical Psychology in which the counsellor and client work together to bring the unconscious parts of the psyche into a more balanced relationship with conscious mind.

You and your counsellor may look at your ‘self’ (the whole of the person you are – consciously and unconsciously) then there is your ‘persona’ (what you present to the outside world), your ‘shadow self’ (which is what we may view as a darker and weaker self and like to keep hidden) and other archetypes that you may identify with the help of your counsellor. The counsellor may also look at your dreams and help you to understand them.